At midnight on May 19, and during the first moments
of Independence Day, 20 May 2002, the United Nations Flag
was lowered and the flag of an independent East Timor - the
world newest democratic nation - was raised.

As per the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste,
the yellow (PMS 123) triangle represents “the traces of
colonialism in East Timor’s History”. The black triangle
represents “the obscurantism that needs to be overcome”; the
red (PMS 485) base of the flag represents “the struggle for
national liberation”; whilst the star, or “the light that
guides”, is white to represent peace.

Official Description of the Flag
“The National Flag is rectangular and is formed by two isosceles
triangles, the bases of which are overlapping. One triangle is
black and its height is equal to one-third of the length
overlapped to the yellow triangle, whose height is equal to half
the length of the Flag. In the centre of the black triangle there
is a white star of five ends, meaning the light that guides. The
white star has one of its ends turned towards the left side end of
the flag. The remaining part of the flag is red.”

-The Constitution of the Democratic Republic of
East Timor Part II, Section 15

A flag was adopted by the representatives of the Timorese politcal parties and
organizations during the first East Timorese National Convention held in April 1998 in
Portugal. The results of the Convention were the formation of the CNRT ( The
National Council of East Timorese Resistance), which replaced the CNRM (The National
Council of Maubere Resistance), and the adoption of the Freedom Charter of the People of
East-Timor.

About the flag
The flag originally was the flag of FALINTIL, the the liberation Army of East Timor.
FALINTIL is non-partisan and therefore represents the interests of the people and
not the interest of any organization. Furthermore, the members of FALINTIL are the
ones that continue to keep the flame of the struggle to self-determination and
independence of East-Timor in times of difficulties. They are the ones that continue to
shed their blood for the sacred right to self-determination and independence of
East-Timor. Because of that there was a consensus of the participants of the Convention
adopt the flag as a temporary flag of East-Timor.